"It's all weather dependent, temperature dependent," said Mankin, explaining temperatures around 40 degrees in the day and in the 20s at night get the sap rising. "We take about 1 percent of the sap of the tree."

Another innovation this year is using a computer system for the evaporation process at the sugar shack. Thirty-nine gallons of sap is required to get one gallon of syrup. The syrup is then filtered, packaged, and sold at the roadside farm stand and at the agency.

Some of the agency crews have started competing sugar operations -- endeavors Mankin thinks are "great." One youth has 60 taps, another has 40, and they have their own evaporators for their syrup.

Mankin said the students spend a lot of time at the sugar shack. "They're really dedicated to making a very good product."